While doing research on finding sitters for my photographs I came across this interesting article from 2009 in the Guardian.
It seems like an age-old problem of the difficulty artists have in finding sitters for their work. Now I would like to add here that I’m not claiming to be one of the great masters of all time, but if they had issues, chances are I’m going to find it just as hard.
Looking at it from the model’s perspective there is also the danger of working with the wrong type of person. There are bullies and harassers found in workplaces up and down the country and I guess there is no difference in the fine art world. If the sitter is semi-nude or nude there is an added layer of vulnerability.
If I had not come across this article I don’t think I would have found out about the Register of Artists’ Models. You have to admire an organisation which is not only trying to professionalize the industry with a high standard of conduct but also a fair wage for the models.
I’m in a bit of a vicious circle at the moment as there is nothing in my portfolio which would make any potential sitter see that I’m serious about the work. And without a sitter I can’t add to my portfolio to show how serious I am about the work.
Fingers crossed but I’m slowly finding a way to take the pictures I want to create.